Dribbling Practice Assembly

ABSTRACT

A dribbling practice assembly for practicing dribbling a basketball includes a pair of hoops that are coupled together to form a spherical surround for insertably receiving a basketball. An elastomeric band is coupled to and extends upwardly from the hoops. A strap is coupled to the elastomeric band. The strap is removably wrapped around a user&#39;s wrist or hand for suspending the hoops from the user&#39;s wrist or hand thereby suspending the basketball from the user&#39;s wrist or hand. The elastomeric band stretches when the user bounces the basketball downwardly. Moreover, the elastomeric band urges the hoops toward the strap thereby lifting the basketball up toward the user&#39;s wrist or hand to train the user in dribbling the basketball.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLYSPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR ASA TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

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STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention

The disclosure relates to dribbling device and more particularlypertains to a new dribbling device for practicing dribbling abasketball.

(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37CFR 1.97 and 1.98.

The prior art relates to dribbling devices.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above bygenerally comprising a pair of hoops that are coupled together to form aspherical surround for insertably receiving a basketball. An elastomericband is coupled to and extends upwardly from the hoops. A strap iscoupled to the elastomeric band. The strap is removably wrapped around auser's wrist or hand for suspending the hoops from the user's wrist orhand thereby suspending the basketball from the user's wrist or hand.The elastomeric band stretches when the user bounces the basketballdownwardly. Moreover, the elastomeric band urges the hoops toward thestrap thereby lifting the basketball up toward the user's wrist or handto train the user in dribbling the basketball.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more importantfeatures of the disclosure in order that the detailed descriptionthereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that thepresent contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There areadditional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafterand which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features ofnovelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out withparticularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of thisdisclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than thoseset forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to thefollowing detailed description thereof. Such description makes referenceto the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dribbling practice assembly accordingto an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a right side view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a perspective in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through4 thereof, a new dribbling device embodying the principles and conceptsof an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by thereference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, the dribbling practiceassembly 10 generally comprises a pair of hoops 12 that are coupledtogether to form a spherical surround 14. The spherical surround 14receives a basketball 16 for positioning therein. Each of the hoops 12is comprised of a resiliently bendable material to facilitate thebasketball 16 to be slid into the hoops 12. Moreover, each of the hoops12 lies on a plane that is oriented perpendicular to each other withrespect to a vertical axis. Each of the hoops 12 intersects each otherat each of a top side 18 and a bottom side 20 of the hoops 12.

An elastomeric band 22 is coupled to and extends upwardly from the hoops12. The elastomeric band 22 is positioned at an intersection of the topside 18 of the hoops 12 and the elastomeric band 22 has a distal end 24with respect to the hoops 12. The elastomeric band 22 may have a minimumlength of approximately 3.0 inches and a maximum length of approximately24.0 inches.

A strap 26 is provided and the strap 26 is coupled to the elastomericband 22. The strap 26 is removably wrapped around a user's wrist 28 orhand 29 for suspending the hoops 12 from the user's wrist 28 or hand 29.In this way the hoops 12 suspend the basketball 16 from the user's wrist28 or hand 29. The elastomeric band 22 stretches when the user bouncesthe basketball 16 downwardly to facilitate the basketball 16 to bounceon ground. Additionally, the elastomeric band 22 is biased to urge thehoops 12 toward the strap 26 to lift the basketball 16 up toward theuser's wrist 28 or hand 29. In this way the user can train dribbling thebasketball 16.

The strap 26 has a first end 30, a second end 32, a top surface 34 and abottom surface 36. The distal end 24 of the elastomeric band 22 iscoupled to the bottom surface 36 having the distal end 24 beingcentrally positioned between the first 30 and second 32 ends. A firstmating member 38 is coupled to the strap 26. The first mating member 38is positioned on the top surface 34 of the strap 26 and the first matingmember 38 is aligned with the first end 30 of the strap 26.

A second mating member 40 is coupled to the strap 26. The second matingmember 40 is positioned on the bottom surface 36 of the strap 26 and thesecond mating member 40 is aligned with the second end 32 of the strap26. The first mating member 38 releasably engages the second matingmember 40 for retaining the strap 26 around the user's wrist 28. Each ofthe first 38 and second 40 mating members may be hook and loop fastenersor other similar releasable fasteners.

In use, the basketball 16 is positioned within the hoops 12 forpracticing dribbling. The strap 26 is wrapped around the user's wrist 28or hand 29 to suspend the basketball 16 from the user's wrist 28 or hand29. The user bounces the basketball 16 and the elastomeric band 22 drawsthe basketball 16 back to the user's hand 29. In this way the user canpractice dribbling the basketball 16 without losing control of thebasketball 16. Additionally, the user can walk or run while wearing thestrap 26 on the user's wrist 28 or hand 29 to practice dribbling whilewalking or running.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized thatthe optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodimentenabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials,shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, aredeemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and allequivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings anddescribed in the specification are intended to be encompassed by anembodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of theprinciples of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications andchanges will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is notdesired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operationshown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications andequivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of thedisclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used inits non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word areincluded, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. Areference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not excludethe possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless thecontext clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.

1. A dribbling practice assembly comprising: a pair of hoops beingcoupled together to form a spherical surround wherein said sphericalsurround is configured to have a basketball positioned therein, each ofsaid hoops being comprised of a resiliently bendable material whereineach of said hoops is configured to facilitate the basketball to be slidinto said hoops; an elastomeric band being coupled to and extendingupwardly from said hoops; and a strap being coupled to said elastomericband, said strap being removably wrapped around a user's wrist or handfor suspending said hoops from the user's wrist or hand wherein saidhoops are configured to suspend the basketball from the user's wrist orhand, said elastomeric band stretching when the user bounces thebasketball downwardly wherein said elastomeric band is configured tofacilitate the basketball to bounce on ground, said elastomeric bandbeing biased to urge said hoops toward said strap wherein saidelastomeric band is configured to lift the basketball up toward theuser's wrist or hand to train the user in dribbling the basketball, saidstrap having a first end, a second end, a top surface and a bottomsurface, said strap having a constant width extending a full lengthbetween said first end and said second end; a first mating member beingcoupled to said strap, said first mating member being positioned on saidtop surface of said strap, said first mating member being aligned withsaid first end of said strap; and a second mating member being coupledto said strap, said second mating member being positioned on said bottomsurface of said strap, said second mating member being aligned with saidsecond end of said strap, said first mating member releasably engagingsaid second mating member for retaining said strap around the user'swrist or hand.
 2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein: each ofsaid hoops lies on a plane being oriented perpendicular to each otherwith respect to a vertical axis, each of said hoops intersecting eachother at each of a top side and a bottom side of said hoops; and saidelastomeric band is positioned at an intersection of said top side ofsaid hoops, said elastomeric band having a distal end with respect tosaid hoops.
 3. The assembly according to claim 1, further comprising adistal end of said elastomeric band being coupled to said bottom surfacehaving said distal end being centrally positioned between said first andsecond ends.
 4. (canceled)
 5. (canceled)
 6. A dribbling practiceassembly comprising: a pair of hoops being coupled together to form aspherical surround wherein said spherical surround is configured to havea basketball positioned therein, each of said hoops being comprised of aresiliently bendable material wherein each of said hoops is configuredto facilitate the basketball to be slid into said hoops, each of saidhoops lying on a plane being oriented perpendicular to each other withrespect to a vertical axis, each of said hoops intersecting each otherat each of a top side and a bottom side of said hoops; an elastomericband being coupled to and extending upwardly from said hoops, saidelastomeric band being positioned at an intersection of said top side ofsaid hoops, said elastomeric band having a distal end with respect tosaid hoops; a strap being coupled to said elastomeric band, said strapbeing removably wrapped around a user's wrist or hand for suspendingsaid hoops from the user's wrist or hand wherein said hoops areconfigured to suspend the basketball from the user's wrist or hand, saidelastomeric band stretching when the user bounces the basketballdownwardly wherein said elastomeric band is configured to facilitate thebasketball to bounce on ground, said elastomeric band being biased tourge said hoops toward said strap wherein said elastomeric band isconfigured to lift the basketball up toward the user's wrist or hand totrain the user in dribbling the basketball, said strap having a firstend, a second end, a top surface and a bottom surface, said strap havinga constant width extending a full length between said first end and saidsecond end, said distal end of said elastomeric band being coupled tosaid bottom surface having said distal end being centrally positionedbetween said first and second ends; a first mating member being coupledto said strap, said first mating member being positioned on said topsurface of said strap, said first mating member being aligned with saidfirst end of said strap; and a second mating member being coupled tosaid strap, said second mating member being positioned on said bottomsurface of said strap, said second mating member being aligned with saidsecond end of said strap, said first mating member releasably engagingsaid second mating member for retaining said strap around the user'swrist or hand.